I know who you are, old lady, I even know your name
With songs and rhyme you marked the time of every childhood game

The milepost of my memory, The races I have run
Games won and lost and what they cost, You marked them every one

I found you as a young child, And you seemed a simple thing
Background noise to games and toys, Sunday hymns to sing
In quiet times spent in my mind, Iíd often find you there
The melodies you gave to me, From deep inside somewhere

I know who you are, old lady, I even know your name
Through highs and lows youíve watched me grow, even as Iíve watched you change

The milepost of my memory, The bridges I have burned
Loves won and lost, and what they cost, You marked them all in turn

I heard you say your last goodbye, To an old man has he lay
In a flag draped coffin soon to rest, In that hard red Georgia clay
The bugle cried for his widowed bride, And chased the clouds away
Then filled the emptiness with pride, And words I could not say

I know who you are, old lady, I sometimes even see
In mistakes Iíve made in the chords Iíve played, The clues youíve left for me

The milepost of my memory, The lessons I have learned
On moonlit nights by the firelight, You marked them all in turn

Iíve felt your timeless patience, As your clumsy student tried
To follow hints from the instrument, To the mysteries locked inside
In the torn refrains, the truth is plain, So I begin once more
My fingers strain to break the chains, And let the music soar

I know who you are, old lady, I met you at the dance
You set the score to love and war, Add pomp to circumstance
The voice of Life, The sound of Strife
The triumph and the shame